Starter for internal-combustion engines



June 3,193.0. L.' VINGHERQETS 1,761,457

Y STARTER FORINTERNAL COMBUSTIONEINGLNES INVENTOR. M1976 was Lou/.5 :(mgheroefa BY 36 44 ATTORNEYS.

June 3, 1930. L. VINGHEROETS 1,761,457

I STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed on. 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

v INVENTOR. tau/s lm qheroefzs' ATTORNEYS.

- Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS VINGH-EROETS, E GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN, ,ASSIGNOR TO DOW GAS ENGINE STARTER CORPORATION, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELA- STARTER non INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed October '14, 1927. Serial No, 226,219.

This invention relates to starter mechanisms for internal Combustion engines and has as its general object to provide-a starter mechanism which'will overcome the disadvantages presented by such mechanisms .a ordinarily constructed.

In the ordinarystarter mechanism, a pinfire of the engine, it is'almost certain that-anumber of the gear teeth will be broken off,

' thus necessitating replacement of the fly wheel. 1 Furthermore, in many instances,

under the conditions referred to, the arma-" ture-shaft is sprung, thus necessitating expensive repairs and replacements. Likewise,

the transmission ofpower from the starter shaft to the fly wheel through the medium of gears is attended by considerable noise and therefore the present invention has, as its more specific object, to overcome these so mechanism which will transmit power to the fly wheel without any-likelihood of damage to any of the parts in the event of back firing of the engine.

the mechanism is complicated and liable. to have its parts disarranged or damaged in the event of back fire of theengine or in the event shaft or an uneven rotation of the 11 wheel; and therefore the present invention as as a further object to provide a starter mechanism which will present none; of these disadvantages but will, on the other hand, be extreme- 1y simple anddurable in construction and capable of eflicient operation even though there be alongitudinal play of the fly wheel shaft or a slight uneven rotation thereof.

difliculties by the provision of a starter.

Another disadvantage presented by starter mechanisms of the usual construction as fonjij example; the well known Bendix drive, is" hat of longitudinal shifting of the fly While the starter mechanism embodying the invention is, as stated, so constructed that the parts will not be liable to become disarranged or damaged, the invention contemplates as a further object, the provision of a mechanism comprising an assemblage and arrangement of parts such as to permit of repairsor replacements being readily eflected in the event they should be found necessary.

While the accompanying drawings and the description which is to follow, constitute a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of what is claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a V16W in side elevation of the starter mechanism embodying the invention,

the fly wheel with which the mechanism is associated, being shown in vertical section;

Figurefl is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the mechanism, the shaft of the starter motor being shown in elevation;

, Figure 3 is-a top plan view of the mechanism;

j Figure- 1 is a vertical transverse sectional viewtaken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 1 lookingcin the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 5'. is a similar view on the line 5-5 of Figil looking in the directionvin dicated by thearro'ws; H i I Figures fi, and 9 are perspective views of'com onent parts-of the mechanism disase h x-E w In the drawings the shaft of the starter otorfis indicate by the numeral 1 and does structi'on, and the flywheel is indicated by *the numeral 2 and differs. from the ordinary fly wheel, which is provided with peripheral not differ essentiallyfrom the ordinary conhead'6 having abeveled friction face for driving member which is designed to coact with one driving of the friction faces of the bead 3, under conditions to be presently eX- plained, the sleeve 4 normally occupying the position shown in Fig. 1 of the" drawings, in which position the face 7 of the head 6 is slightly spaced with respect to theadjacent beveled face of the bead 3, the head 6 constii tuting one driving member and the other driv-.

ing member being indicated ingeneral by the numeral 8. The clutch member 8 comprises \a sleeve 9 which is'rotatably and slidably fitted onto the sleeve 4 and is provided,'at

its end which opposes the head 6., with a head 10, which, as in the case of the head 6, is circular and is provided with a beveled friction face 11 which opposes the friction face 7 of the head 6 and is designed to coact with the 0 other beveled friction face of the head 3 of the fly wheel 2, under conditions to be presently pointed out, the sleeve ,8, however, normally assuming the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, in which position its friction face 11 is out of contact with the coacting friction face of the bead 3. A compression spring 12 is arranged upon the sleeve 4 and bears at its ends against the friction faces 7 and 11 of the heads 6 and 10, at the inner to peripheries of these faces, the spring being more or less snugly fitted upon the sleeve 1, so as not tocome in contact with the periphery ofthe bead 3. At its end opposite its end at which the head 10 is located, the sleeve 9 35 of the member 8 is formed with a helical cam face 13 which extends nearly throughout the b --circumference of the sleeve, the formation. of this face resulting in an abrupt shoulder 14: which is straight and parallel be the axis of the sleeve, and a projection 15 at the said end of the sleeve between the ends of the cam face 13 and having one side coextensive with the shoulder 14.

A collar 16 is fitted onto portion of the sleeve 4, and this portion is reduced so as to provide a circumscribing shoulder 17 against which one end of the collar abuts, the collar being formed at this end with a circumscribing reinforcing flange 18 from which projects a longitudinal lug 19 one side of which'is straight and-arranged to abut against the shoulder 14 of the sleeve 9, in one position of the parts as shown in Figures-3 and 5 of the drawings, the end of the lug being formedto provide a cam surface 20 which impinges against the cam face 13 of the ,sleeve 9, A second collar 21 is fitted onto the rednced end of the sleeve 1 and is" secured in place by a set screw 22which is threaded through an opening 23 formed in the said collar and-en gages, at inner end, in. an opening 24: formed in the said reducedportion of the sleeve 4;.

A lock washer 25 is preferably provided aroma? tion of the set screw, and at this point it will be understood that the collar 21 is in this manner connected with the reduced portion of the sleeve 4, so as to be rotatable therewith under conditions to bepresently described. The collar 16' is formed with diametrically oppositely located recesses 26, in its end opposite its end at which the lug 19 is located, and the collar 21 is provided with diametrically 0ppositely located tongues 27 which engage in the recesses 26, in a manner clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, so as to connect the collars 16 and 21 for rotation in unison. It will be observed by reference to-Figs. 1, 2 and 7 of the drawings that the tongues 27 are of a thickness less than the thickness of the wall of the collar 21, so that their outer sides will beflush with the outer surface of the collar 16, which collar is of less circumference than the collar 21. A compression spring 28 is arranged upon the collar 16 and j sleeve 4 and with its forward end in abutting engagement with the shoulder 17.

' A collar 29 is mounted upon the shaft 1 and fixed for rotation therewith by means of a key 30 and the said collar is held against longitudinal displacement upon the shaft by means of a set screw 31 which is threaded into an opening 32 in the collar and is tightened to ind at its inner end against the said shaft 1, a lock washer 33 being preferably provided for holding the set screw against accidental loosening. The collar 21 is provided in its end opposite its end at which the tongues 27 are located, with notches indicated by the numeral 34, and the collar 29 is provided with diametrically oppositely located tongues 35 which fit in the said notches 34,. the collars 21 and 29 being in this manner connected for rotation in unison. A compression spring 36 is arranged upon the shaft 1 and bears be tween the collar 29 and the adjacent end oi the sleeve 4. T

In the operation of the starter mechanism the circuit is closed through the motor of the starter, thus imparting rotarymotion to the shaft 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow at the left hand side of Fig. 3 of the drawings. The collar 9 is, as previously stated, fitted upon the sleeve 4, and, when r0 tary motion is imparted to the shaft 1, rotary motion will likewise be imparted to the sleeve .A- dueto the engagement of the tongues 35 of the collar '29, in the recesses 34 on 21, which latter collar is spaced with respect to the said sleeve 4, and due to the inertia of the-collar 9, the sleeve 4:, through the fast rotary impulse imparted to it by the shaft 1,

the collar 9, carrying with will rotate within the collar ill? it the collar 16 and causing the cam face 20 of the lug 19 upon said collar 16 to ride upv along the cam face 13 of the said collar 9 thus shifting the collar 9 outwardly (toward the right hand side of Figure 3) along the sleeve 4: to bring the beveled friction face 11 thereof into contact with the adjacent beveled friction face of the flange of the fly wheel 2. This will likewise serve to shift the collar 6, inthe opposite direction, due to the sleeve 4 and its abutment of the friction face 11 of the head 10 with the flange 3, and in this shifting movement the collar ,16, will be shifted longitudinally upon the shaft 1 and against the ressure of spring 28 as to bring the friction ace of the head 6 of said sleeve to binding frictional contact with the other beveled friction surface of the flange 3, and as a consequence. the friction faces of the heads 6 and 10 will firmly grip the said flange and rotary motion will be imparted to the fly wheel in the direction indicated by the arrow at the right-hand side of Fig. 3.

As soon as the engine starts to function, the

fly wheel 2 will of course be rotated at a greater rate of speed than the shaft 1 of'the starter mechanism and, as a consequence, the collar 9 will be rotated, momentarily, at a higher rate of speed than that at which it was previously rotated by the shaft 1 and the associated parts, so that the relative move- 'ment of the cams 13 and 20 will be reversed whereupon the spring 12 will act to separate ration of the friction faces and 11 of the heads from the-beveled friction faces of the fly wheel flange 3, itbeing understood that formed that the bead 3 willbe inte al therein the first described cycle of operation and in the movement of the heads 6 and 10 towards each other, the spring 12 was placed under compression. Therefore, immediately upon firing of the engine and rotation of the fly wheel 2,'the component parts of the starter mechanism will be'restored to their rotated in the direction the reverse of thatindicated by the arrow at the'right hand side of Figure 3 and consequently the friction faces 7 and 11 ofthe heads 6and 10 would be instantly separated from the beveled friction'faces of the flange 3 of the fly wheel.

In practice, the fly wheel 2-may be so with, or this bead may be forme separate from the fly wheel and secured thereto or to means connecting the sleeve for rotation with the engine shaft in an suitable manner.

The majority of ma es of automobiles are equipped with a bracket extending from the starter motor and including a portion, indicated by the numeral 37 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, which constitutes a bearing to cause sepa-.

tion serves also as an abutment for the head 6 to limit the outward movement of the sleeve 4.

It will also be understood that, as the spring 36 urges the sleeve 4 outwardly, and the spring 12 urges the collar 8 inwardly, the friction faces 7 and 11 will be maintained out of engagement with the flange or bead 3 of the fly wheel 2, while the engine is running.

The slip joint or spline 34, 35 permits both the heads 6 and 10 to be shifted axially and in unchanged relative position to accommodate any divergence of the flywheel 2 from a perpendicular position relatively to the axis of its rotation; and the interrelative axial movement of theheads 6 and 10 accommodates differences in'the thickness of the flywheels head 3 between said heads.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is 1. In a starter mechanism for internal combustion engines, a starter motor shaft, members having opposing friction faces for driving engagement witha portion of an en gine fly wheel, means connecting one of said members for rotation with the shaft and coacting means upon the members for adjusting the same to driving position and effecting their rotation in unison, upon rotative movement of the shaft.

2. In a starter mechanism for internal com bustion engines, a starter motor shaft, members having opposing friction faces for driving engagement with a portion of an engine 3. In a starter mechanism for internal combustion engines, a starter motor shaft, members having opposing friction faces for driving engagement with aportion of an engine flywheel, means connecting one of said memhere for rotation with the shaft, the other member bein rotatable and shiftable upon a'portion of t e firstmentioned member, and coactin means upon the members for effecting shi inglof the second mentioned member and rotation of the members in unison, upon rotative movement of the shaft.

4. In a startermechanism for internal combustion engines, a starter motor shaft, a member upon the shaft including a sleeve fitting the shaft and a head having a friction face,

the shaft, a second member shiftably and rotatably mounted upon the sleeve and having a friction face opposing the friction face of the first mentioned member, and-coacting cam means upon the sleeve and the second mentioned member for overcoming the inertia of the second mentioned member upon initial rotation of the shaft and the sleeve of the first mentioned member and effecting shifting adjustment of the said second mentioned member to present the friction face thereof in coactive relation to the friction face of the first mentioned member.

5. In a starter mechanism for internal com: bustion en 'nes, the combination with a starter motor s aft and a fly wheel having a peri heral portion provided with friction faces, of a member shiftable upon-the shaft and having a friction face concentric to the shaft and presented to one of the friction faces of the said portion of the fly wheel, a second member rotatable with respect to the first mentioned member and having a friction face concentric to the axis of the shaft and pre sented towardsthe other friction face of the said portion of the 13 wheel, means yieldably urging the said memliers in a direction to separate the same, means connecting the first mentioned member for rotation with the shaft, a member rotatablewith the first-mentioned member, an'd coacting cam means upon the last mentioned member and the second mentioned member for effecting adjustment of the second mentioned member in the direction of thefric'tion face of the first mentioned member and for connecting the members for rotation the shaft;-

in unison upon rotation of the collarof the second mentioned member and the last mentioned collar for effecting shifting of the second mentioned member into engagement with the peripheral projection or the fly wheel and for connecting said member with the third mentioned collar for rotation therewith, and interlocking means .upon the second and third mentioned collars for connecting the third mentioned collar with the second mentioned collar for rotation therewith.

7 In a starter mechanism for internal combustion engines, a startermotor shaft, a sleeve in splined relation thereto and having a driving member, a collar rotatably and axially movable on the sleeve and having a driving member, a second collar in splined relation to said'sleeve, one of the collars having a helical cam engaging the other collar to move said driving members toward each other, an engine shaft having a driven. member between and engaged by the and second driving members, a spring pressing the second collar to cam engagement with the first collar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LOUIS VINGHEROETS.

6. In, a starter mechanism for internal combustion engines, the combination with a starter motor shaft and a fiy Wheel having a peripheral projecting portion having friction faces, of a member comprising a sleeve mounted upon the shaft and shiftable thereon, the said member further including a head having a friction face opposing one of the friction facesof the peripheral projection of the fly wheel a collar fixed upon the shaft, a collar fixed upon the said sleeve, a spring interposed between the first mentioned collar and the sleeve and yieldably urging the sleeve in an outward direction upon the shaft, coacting means upon the collars for connecting the same for rotation in unison and thereby connecting the sleeve for rotation with the shaft, a second member comprising a collar shiftably and rotatably mounted u on the sleeve and provided with a friction ace lar mounte opposing the other friction face of the peripheral projection of the fly wheel, a spring upon the sleeve between the friction faces of the first and last mentioned members yieldably holding the members separated and out of coactive engagement with the said peripheral (projection of the fly wheel, a colupon the sleeve, a shoulder upon the sleeve against which the last mentioned collar engages, a spring interposed between the last mentioned collar and the second mentioned collar, and 'coacting cam portions upon 

